Katsudon & Strawberry (30-Day Prompt Challenge)
by Stephen R Sobotka
Summary: Going on a first date, Izuku & Tsuyu experience a couple of firsts together. Romantic Fluff. Story #5 of 30 in a Writing Prompt Challenge.


**KATSUDON & STRAWBERRY**

a My Hero Academia story / © 2018

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 **Disclaimer!** \- _This is a fan-fiction, based on characters and situations from the serialized_ Shonen Jump _series_ "Boku no Hero Academia" _; created by_ Kōhei Horikoshi _. This has been written solely for other fans of the series to enjoy, not to gain profit for the author. All characters, with exception of any that I have I created for these stories, are TM and Copyrighted by_ Bones _ & _Shonen Jump _, and are used without their knowledge._

 _Please don't sue, since this was done as a tribute to the spirit of the original manga and animated show.  
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Author's Note : This story is part of a 30-Day Writing Prompt Challenge, in that the theme used is called "A Rare Pair". _It of course uses the two BnHA characters that I 'ship, and it should be interesting to see what other stories come up from the list of prompts I've collected. Note, don't expect to get swamped with new stories all at once! I'm posting only the ones that I feel are worth it. All stories will be stored on a special blog, as the challenge moves forwards._

 _The Prompt for this story is : Firsts._

 _I'd like to give a thanks to K_ _ōhei_ _-san (if they ever read fan stories) for creating a fun universe for us to enjoy, and to all my fellow BnNA fans who support me and other authors who slave over writing these stories. It's your encouragement that makes this worth while! - SRS  
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 _ **~= Inside Alliance Heights, U.A.H.S. Campus, Early Afternoon . . . . =~**_

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Tsuyu stood next to the counter in the communal kitchen, packing a few bento boxes and some items into a carry bag. With her hair tied up, she wore a spring-time outfit - a sleeveless, pale-green sun dress, knee-length shorts underneath, and sandals - along with a wide-brimmed hat; perfect for the weather outside. Humming happily, she turned towards the refrigerator in the corner and opened it to remove a tall thermos bottle.

"Hey, Tsu! Whatcha doin'?"

Looking behind her, Tsuyu blinked at the sight of Mina, Kyoka and Rikido on the other side of the counter. They were all dressed in causal clothes, looking like they'd just returned from a trip to the city-center.

"Oh, Kero!" She nearly dropped the thermos, but recovered it quickly. "You guys surprised me!"

"Sorry about that! Hee!" Mina said. "Guess you were super focused on . . . what? You're making a lunch?"

Rikido peered over Mina, taking in what Tsuyu had packed. "Wow, looks like a heck of a lunch!" He reached over and poked at the top-most bento box. "That looks more than enough for one person," he observed.

"Well, it is a nice day outside," Kyoka said dryly. "Guess it's a picnic you're making, huh?"

"Um, well, yeah . . . more or less," Tsuyu said. Walking back over to the counter, she put the thermos inside and started to arrange the other contents to be better packed in.

"Soooo, who's going on a picnic with you, Tsu!?" Mina asked, tucking her arms behind herself as she grinned knowingly. "After all, you're not going to eat all of that yourself, right? Right?" Mina suddenly grunted as she got a poke in the side from Kyoka.

"Knock it off, Mina! If she wanted to tell us, she would, so stop being so rude!" Kyoka said archly.

Rikido nodded, crossing his brawny arms. "Yeah, Mina. Is not any of our business anyway."

"Well, can you blame me for just being curious?" Mina asked, looking at Kyoka ruefully as she rubbed the sore spot on her side.

"Actually . . . it's not a secret if you want to know."

At that, the trio looked at Tsuyu with mild surprise.

Tsuyu gave them a smile. "I mean, I don't keep secrets if I can help it. Besides, the truth is, I'm going on a date. My very first date. Kero."

Both Rikido and Kyoka wore expressions of shock, but Mina's face spread in a wide grin. "A date!? Tsu, that's WONDERFUL!" The pink-haired girl practically stood there, bouncing on her toes as she asked in rapid-fire succession, "Who is he!? Where are you two going? How long have you two been a couple!?"

"Mina! Control yourself!" Kyoka hissed. She would have said more, but she stopped when Tsuyu reached across the counter and touched her hand.

"It's okay, Kyoka-chan." She smiled, her eyes closing briefly with delight before she stared at the trio and said, "I'm going with Izuku. Kero! He's my date."

That got a big reaction from the others. "Midoriya?" Shaking her head in disbelief, Mina asked, "You're going on a date with Midoriya!?"

"Yup," Tsuyu said. Blinking, she quickly removed her cell phone from a pocket on her dress, and her eyes grew wide with alarm. "Oh no! I've got to get going, or I'm going to be late meeting with Izuku!" She turned and grabbed the carry bag from the counter and whirled around to run out the main doorway. As she did, she waved behind her, saying, "I'll see you guys later! Kero!".

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 _ **~= Nah-Bou Park, Thirty Minutes from U.A.H.S. Main Campus . . . . =~**_

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Standing on a sloping, winding pathway that lead deeper into the tree-lined center of the park, Izuku glanced at the digital clock on his cell phone. Sighing, he slipped it back into his pocket and looked up and around.

 _I know we both agreed to meet here,_ He told himself. _I shouldn't worry, though it's not like Tsu to be late. She might have just gotten delayed, after all. She was supposed to get the rest of the items for . . . our picnic . . . our date!_ He nervously scuffed the toe of his sneaker in the path, before looking down at the bundles he'd placed near his feet. Crouching down, he checked the small carry bag - which had some storage bowls that were still warm to the touch - before he shook his head slowly.

"Can't believe I'm saying this, but . . . it's been amazing since Tsu and I had our talk, up on the Alliance Heights roof. Has it only been a couple of weeks?" Izuku smiled, plopping down on his backside beside his bundles. _I mean, we've haven't exactly been hiding, and yet I don't think the rest of the class even knows that we're a couple!_ He laughed softly. "Listen to me! I'm acting like it's the most-unlikely thing to have ever happened!" He inhaled and let out a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves. _I mean . . . I never was good with girls, back before I joined U.A. High. Since then, I've meet Uraraka, and Mina, Momo and all of the girls in our classes._ He looked down and put a hand to his head, propping it on his raised knee. _Still . . . to think one of them likes me more than a friend._

 _And to top it all off, it's Tsu-chan?!_ He blew out his cheeks with a happy sigh. _I just can't believe it's real sometimes._

At that moment, Izuku snapped out of his musings as his name was called: "Izuku! I'm sorry, I got held up!"

Looking up, Izuku spied Tsuyu as she entered the park. His face lit up with a smile, as he took in her green and yellow outfit as she hurried towards him. "Hey, Tsu-chan!" Scrambling to his feet, he made sure not to stumble over his own two feet, making it just as she came to a stop in front of him. "It's okay, I wasn't worried," he told her. "Not one bit!"

She made a fist and play-popped him on the shoulder. "Liar. I told you I'd catch up with you after you got back from the Shopping District." She smiled. "Did you get what you were looking for, Kero?"

Izuku nodded, bending down to scoop up the carry-bag and the rolled up picnic quilt next to it. "Yep! Got there early enough, so I didn't have to stand in line too long." He beamed as he sniffed appreciatively at the aroma-laced steam coming from the bag, then looking at her he asked, "Did you get everything else?"

Tsuyu nodded eagerly, patting the carry sack looped over her shoulder. "Everything we'll need." She stepped up beside him, taking his arm as she asked, "Are you ready to go?"

Even though he tried to look calm, Izuku felt his heart race at the gentle contact between them, and the smile of joy she had, looking up at him from under the brim of her hat. "Y-yeah, let's go," he said. "I think I found the perfect spot, for our d-date." Clasping her hand in his, he nodded towards the center of the park - up the pathway before them - and asked, "Um, do you mind if we just . . . take our time, walking that is?"

Smiling all the more, Tsuyu replied, "Why not? It's a beautiful day, Kero. We should make the most of it, together."

Izuku nodded, unable to keep the smile from getting wider. "Then, lets go, Tsu-chan." Leading the way, he and her headed up the path, going deeper into the park . . . .

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 _ **~= xXx =~**_

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Under some shady trees, the pair had spread out the quilt and unpacked their combined contributions to their picnic lunch. In the midst of this, Izuku couldn't help but take in the surrounding scenery. They spot was situated near a wide pond - manmade - that had been cultivated to be both pleasing to the eye, as well as attractive to several wild birds. They were also far off from the roads that bordered the park, which lent to the tranquility of the very air of their location.

Breathing in deep as he stretched his legs out, Izuku said, "This is great, isn't it?"

Tsuyu looked up from where she was arranging the stacked bento boxes, and smiled at him. "Yes, and it looks like you're finally relaxing," she said. Reaching for the thermos bottle, she uncapped it and produced a pair of cups.

"After all the stuff we had to deal with in class this past week," Izuku said, blowing out his cheeks. "I'm glad we're both getting a chance to relax." He leaned back, bracing his body with both arms as he looked up to the clear, blue sky above, then turned to look at Tsuyu. "Especially since it's you I can relax with."

A slight blush filled Tsuyu's cheeks, but she barely let it affect her as she poured some chilled drinks into the cups. "Here, have some lemonade, before we get started on our lunch."

Accepting the cup, Izuku smiled and turned to face her and the picnic spread. "Thanks, Tsu-chan." He sipped a swallow, then placed the cup down to lend a hand. They had plenty of food: cooked rice, steamed vegetables (which Tsuyu always insisted he eat more of!), and other treats, along with the two bowls he brought.

Lifting one of them from the bag, Tsuyu removed the plastic cover and asked, "What's this, Izu-kun? You did say you were bringing your favorite food, Kero?"

With a nod and a grin, Izuku said, "Oh yeah! It's katsudon with rice noodles! I've always eaten them, since I was a lot younger." He gratefully accepted the bowl from her, and nodded eagerly for her to take the other one. "Mom used to make it only for special occasions, so It quickly became my favorite thing to eat."

Tsuyu smiled, and placed the other one next to her, fishing out some spoons and chopsticks. "Well, it does smell good." Passing a set over to him, she made a small gesture - as if to pray - and said, "Thank you for the food!"

"Oh! Y-Yes!" Izuku hastily copied her gesture, nearly dropping his chopsticks in the process. "Let's eat!" He glanced up at her sheepishly. "Sorry, I was supposed to say that with you."

Tsuyu patted his arm and said, "It's all right. After all, we're on a date, you dork. We shouldn't have to be too formal."

Izuku sighed, his lips twisting ruefully before he settled his nerves. "Thanks, Tsu-chan. Shall we eat, then?"

Tsuyu nodded, holding her chopsticks neatly as she picked up the bowl of katsudon. "Let's dig in!"

They started eating, and from the first bites Izuku could see the surprise in Tsuyu's expression; the beef broth and noodles clearly delighting her taste buds. He himself was slurping up the noodles with relish, and not missing a bite of the fried pork.

"Mmm!" Tsuyu swallowed her mouthful and said, "I can see why you like this, Kero! So yummy!"

Izuku grinned around a few strands of noodles, before sucking them up. "It's the best isn't it?" He paused and looked down at the rest of the food. "What about your favorite, Tsu-chan? What's your favorite food?"

Tsuyu blinked and gave him a mischievous wink. "Later, when we're ready for desert. Kero."

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 _ **~= xXx =~**_

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In due course, they finished off a good portion of the lunch they'd made. The pair weren't in a dash to finish it, but if Tsuyu could guess right, she was sure Izuku wanted to get to the dessert she had planned for them.

In fact, when he finished the last morsel he had on his plate, Izuku looked pleasantly full. Though he had his eyes fixed on the bag Tsuyu had brought.

"Mmm-hmm! That's was so good!"

Tsuyu was putting used utensils and napkins into one of the bags Izuku had brought, and was in the process of stacking up the empty bentos, when she looked up and caught his gaze. Following it to the carry bag, she laughed softly. "Haven't you eaten enough, Izu-kun?"

He gave her a look of mock-hurt. "But, you said there would be desert! Also, you haven't shared your favorite food yet," he said.

Tsuyu gave him a wink. "I figured it could wait, until we were finished with lunch." She finished cleaning up, then shifted over to remove a couple of plastic containers from the bag, along with some spoons. "After all, when it comes to my favorite food, it's best served as desert or a snack." She turned and plopped down next to Izuku, before handing him one of the containers and a spoon.

"Ah, I see." He looked at the container, seeing the reddish, gelatin-like stuff inside, which had small pieces of some fruit suspended inside it. "What is it?".

Tsuyu said, "It's Jello. Strawberry flavor." She was pealing back the cover, and then took her spoon to make a motion towards Izuku. "Go ahead. Try it."

Izuku nodded, following her example and digging in with his spoon to remove a good dollop of the fruit and gelatin mixture. Pausing to watch Tsuyu take her bite - and give a sound of immense pleasure as she swallowed it - he passed his own spoonful to his mouth and slurped it in. Immediately, he tasted the sweet, tangy flavors and was pleasantly surprised at the texture: smooth, but not in a creamy way like pudding, and the bits of cut-up fruit added to the whole flavor barrage.

Tsuyu was taking another bite, watching his face as it went through a myriad of expressions - from surprise to delight to enjoyment - before she swallowed and asked, "Do you like it, Izu-kun?"

Izuku smiled and nodded. "Like it?" He took a larger scoop and ate it, chewing it with relish before swallowing. "I love it! I can see why it's your favorite!".

Tsuyu laughed, watching him take another spoonful, before she ate some more of her serving. "It's always been my favorite, since I was little. Although," she said, her expression turning sly, "there's a new reason why I like it."

Trying not to talk with his mouth full, Izuku swallowed and asked, "Oh? What's that?" He had half turned his head to look at her . . . and got the surprise of his life as Tsuyu had leaned in quickly, and kissed him soundly, fondly and with great enthusiasm. _Woah!_ Izuku's shocked mind could barely function, though he tried to recover; bracing on one hand as they kissed deeply. _Tsu-chan never kissed like this before!_ he told himself.

As quickly as it happened, Tsuyu broke the kiss, keeping their faces close together while she retracted her tongue from Izuku's open mouth.

"Tsu-chan! What was-?" Izuku felt her press a finger against his lips, watching as she grinned back at him.

"The reason why I like strawberry Jello so much more? It's because now that I'm sharing it with my boyfriend, I get to taste it along with you! Kero!" She winked at him and smiled all the more.

At that, Izuku got his wits back, and shook his head while managing not to spoil the mood as he returned her smile. "Tsu-chan! That's was a sneaky way to get a kiss," he said.

Feigning innocence, Tsuyu sat back and made a show of eating another spoonful of her Jello. "I know . . . but it was fun! Right, Izu-kun?" She put the spoon in her mouth, smiling around it as she mumbled, "Kero?"

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 _ **~= Fin =~**_

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